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McColl, who joined the New Zealand Defence Force in 1977 as a Territorial Force field engineer, saw operational service in Sierra Leone and Timor Leste, along with several stints in Antarctica.

A recipient of seven medals, including the New Zealand Operational Service Medal and the United Nations Medal Sierra Leone Medal, McColl held a range of development and training appointments as a soldier before being promoted to major in 2004.

"Apart from his professional achievements and the respect in which he was so widely held, Mac was also notable for his sense of humour, camaraderie and willingness to assist others," Weston said.

His association with Antarctica lasted three decades, in a range of roles with the US Antarctic Program's Operation Deep Freeze, the NZDF's Operation Antarctica and Antarctica New Zealand.

Most recently, he was seconded to Antarctica New Zealand as the New Zealand defence senior national officer and key member of the planning and logistics team.

His role also extended to a stint at Scott Base, forming part of its leadership team for half of the 2015-16 summer season.

Major Mac McColl. Photo: Supplied

Antarctica New Zealand's Antarctic operation general manager, Simon Trotter, said McColl's passions were logistics, aviation, planning and people, so it was no surprise that his role satisfied his appetite for challenges.